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  • From: "Lorraine Ballato" <ladygardener@msn.com>
  • To: "gardenwriters-on-gardening" <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [gwl-g] Organic or chemical future?????
  • Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 06:23:59 -0400

Jeff,
 
I'm usually a "lurker" on this list, but I must come out on this one. 
 
Yes, I garden organically but only came to it about 5 years ago.  That's a very long story.  Nonetheless, I am here and to stay.  It's the mantra I chant throughout my writing and in my work as an Advanced Master Gardener, speaker, etc.  I also work at a big name CT retail nursery/mail order business and have been working them over to stock low- and/or non-toxic products vs. chemicals for garden treatments.  That seems to be going over pretty well as more products have come onto the market and customers seem much more interested in that approach (they are a bit more affluent than the normal garden center crowd).
 
We (Master Gardeners) do a free outdoor garden fair for Fairfield County (CT) and last year I put together a booth on Low Toxic approaches that was swarmed by the general public throughout the fair, despite half a dozen presentations, over 2 dozen other booths, and several demonstrations (lots to see and do on a hot August afternoon).  All our handouts were scoffed (sp?) up, questions and follow-up conversations were spirited, and feedback sheets indicated high interest in this subject.  It led to my delivering a two hour Advanced Master Gardener class on Low Toxic Approaches to Home Gardening and several other requests for associated activities on the subject which I'm all too glad to do.  We're doing the fair again this August and the Low Toxic Booth has been expanded in size and staffing to handle the anticipated interest.
 
I haven't seen/been aware of a difference in age on this.  But I do see a gender based difference (this should heat up this discussion).  When it comes to lawns, that's an area dominated by men.  I base this on the fact that 99% of the questions and conversations are with mostly middle-aged men. As a group, they are absolutely intransigent in using anything that won't deliver the best, greenest, most fabulous looking lawn in the neighborhood. I think it's a test of manhood somehow in the American psyche (anyone care to comment?).  Since most of the organics for whatever reason have historically been perceived to fall short on this (I don't believe this to be true -- notice, I've used the word "perceived"), they give me the "yes" look and a little nod (I recognize it since it looks a lot like one of my husband's favorite expressions) and I know they won't do anything but use you-know-who's 4-step program, etc.  My personal mission is to convince all those lawn lovers in my small CT town that they can have a fabulous green lush healthy lawn without the chemicals so I've dedicated this season and however many it will take me to get my front lawn in shape as a "demonstration" to convince them and my town supervisor of this.  Maybe then we can get the chemical ban that already exists for elementary schools grounds to apply to other public areas and maybe even lawns (we're all on wells so we all suffer when those little signs that should have skulls and crossbones on them appear curbside).
 
 
 
Lorraine
 
Lorraine Ballato
16 Mudry Farm Rd
Brookfield CT 06804
(203)740-8636
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 9:06 PM
Subject: [gwl-g] Organic or chemical future?????

Gee, it has been all too quite on this list.  Let's shake it up a bit and get back to what it was before Lon started censoring all of us. What happened?

So, here are three questions I am interested in for an article.

1. Do you garden organically (naturally if you want)?
2. Is there a growing trend towards organics and away from chemicals amongst your audience, vica versa or status quo?
3. Do you see a divide between "Older gardeners" (40 plus)  who are chemical users and Younger Gardeners (Below 40) who are organic?

Interested in your thoughts. Feel free to respond off list.

See you all in Oka!

Jeff L




Plant one row in your garden to feed the hungry...to see how go to www.gardenwriters.org/Par/index.html



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